Masoud Jafari Jozani (; , born 9 December 1948) is an Iranian film director, screenwriter and producer. He has received an award for the best short film at the Fajr International Film Festival. In the Wind's Eye is one of Jafari Jozani's most notable works, which he directed and wrote. This TV series In the Wind's Eye was the first Iranian film to be shot in the United States since the Iranian Revolution (1979) and one of the most expensive films in the history of Iran, with a budget of $12 million.
Jozani, Iranian cinema's enduring face, is a post-revolutionary cinema pioneer who introduced Iranian post-revolutionary cinema to international festivals with his debut film, Frosty Roads. He was recognized as a bridge between East and West cinema in 1987 and 1988, when he attended many international film festivals, including the Berlin International Film Festival, the Montreal World Film Festival, the Hawaii International Film Festival, and the Hong Kong International Film Festival. Jozani teaching cinema and graphics in the United States (with a lifetime teaching license), teaching at Iranian universities, and managing the Jozan Film Institute.
Early life and education
Masoud Jafari Jozani was born 9 December 1948 in Malayer, Hamadan province, Pahlavi Iran.
Jozani received an M.A. degree in cinema from the San Francisco State University (1977). He began his cinematic career as a scriptwriter and director of short films.
Career
1980–1984: Entering television and animation
Towards Freedom (1980) Towards Freedom by Jozani is considered the first political documentary in Iran, played on 10 February 1980 by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting. Masoud Jafari Jozani founded the IRIB's animation section and produced some animated films.
1984: Beginning a cinematic career
Speak to Me (1984) In 1984, Jozani, by making the short film Speak to Me, produced by the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults, managed to get the honorary diploma for best short film from the third Fajr International Film Festival.
Frosty Roads (1984)
In 1984, Jafari Jozani was made his debut feature film in his birthplace. Frosty Roads was one of the best-selling films of the first decade of the revolution, and it is valued for its visual structure as much as its substance. The only professional and well-known member of this film was Ali Nassirian. This film opened the path for Hamid Jebeli, Turaj Mansuri, Mahmoud Clari, Alireza Raisian, and Shapur Pouramin to break into the professional film industry.
The Stone Lion (1987) (), is the story of a confrontation between tradition and modernity, which won the Crystal Simorgh for Best Screenplay in the fifth Fajr International Film Festival. The killing of one British creates a deadly confrontation between two Bakhtiari leaders, starring Ezzatolah Entezami and Ali Nassirian, making it the most important and most important durable of Jozani's works. Also participated in many international festivals, such as the 11th Montreal World Film Festival (Canada) in 1988, and was appreciated.
Eye of the Hurricane (1989)
His next movie was Eye of the Hurricane, which had a larger production than The Stone Lion. It was again a compelling story about the presence of foreigners in Iran during World War II.
Maturity (1999) After the cultural developments of 1992–2002, he attended to the youth's problems by making the film Maturity and received awards in the 18th Fajr International Film Festival.
2002–2012: Filmmaking the expensive TV series in the history of Iran
In the Wind's Eye (2008)
He spent most of the 2002–2012 writing and directing the TV series In the Wind's Eye (a 44 piece TV series of 50 minutes each) shown on IRIB TV1, which was a must-see program on TV and told the story of Iran from the Mirza Kuchik Khan's uprising to the Iran–Iraq War. The script was written in two years by Masoud Jafari Jozani.
This historical TV series In the Wind's Eye was telling three historical periods: the first was the end of the Qajar Iran and beginning of the Pahlavi dynasty, the second was World War II and a special time after the revolution which was after the Battle of Khorramshahr. Making this series with 480 locations in over 10 other cities and provinces was one of the biggest television productions.
2015: Return to Cinema
Iran Burger (2015) The feature film Iran Burger, Jozani's only comedy made, with the help of a local and folkloric atmosphere, and a script is written in situation comedy, was made into a high selling, fun, and respectable film.
Behind the Wall of Silence (2017)